Civic leader Val Massimi of Algiers, who recently died, had a passion for life, including New Orleans entertainment and Mardi Gras.

“She had a delightfully sharp and curious mind and loved having discussions about astronomy, nature and politics, and she shared her sense of wonder at the world with all of her children and grandchildren,” said Michael Massimi, Massimi’s son.

Val Massimi was born in Providence, R.I. on March 15, 1934 to Alberta Gallotta and Nancy DeSimone Gallotta. Massimi was a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. She then moved to Manhattan, where she lived and worked in the 1950s. It was there that her love for jazz flourished in Greenwich Village with its jazz clubs and artists like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. She then married and traveled around the world with her husband, Robert Massimi, who was a U.S. Navy officer. They moved to New Orleans in 1975.

She loved New Orleans and spending time with family and friends. She was quite the entertainer. “I have so many memories of my mom during family parties and holidays. There was so much amazing food being prepared and served, but you never saw her working in the kitchen,” said her daughter, Nancy Bennett.

Whether she was playing with the kids or enjoying the company of adults, it always amazed everyone how she could do so much and make it seem so effortless. “She might be enjoying cocktails with the adults one minute and playing cards with the kids the next, and then, miraculously, a five- or six-course dinner would be on the table,” Bennett said.

In addition to spending time with her four children and seven grandchildren, Massimi was a civic and political leader in numerous associations and organizations. Massimi was a leader and volunteer for decades in the Algiers area. She was active in the Algiers Police Advisory Board, Bocage Civic Association, Friends of the Algiers Courthouse, Algiers Republican Women, and the Naval Officers’ Wives Club, to name a few.

She worked with the New Orleans Convention and Tourism Commission for 15 years and served on the Park and Parkways Commission. Massimi was appointed by Mayor Sydney Bartholomew to the Sister City Program. She was also appointed to the Park and Parkways Commission and served as president. Massimi was recognized and commended for her numerous contributions to New Orleans by the New Orleans City Council and four New Orleans mayors.

She was one of the first five individuals inducted into the Algiers Hall of Fame for her community involvement and volunteerism. Massimi’s photo is displayed in the historic Algiers Courthouse.

Massimi was an avid world traveler in the United States and Europe and owned a condo in Spain for many years. She traveled extensively throughout her lifetime. She saw the majestic Egyptian pyramids and soared the azure skies in a hot air balloon.

Bennett said, “She loved to travel and was always up for a road trip – she was known to take the scenic route and loved detours.”

Relaxing at the beach, fishing and boating were pastimes she treasured.

Massimi enjoyed having fun. She enjoyed the journey of life, which ended on Nov. 30, 2013.

Longtime friend Kathy Lynn Honaker described her as a “a true angel on Earth that let her light shine on everyone she met. She made you feel like you were the most important person in the world when you were in her presence.”

She is survived by her husband, Capt. Robert Massimi; her two brothers, Adm. Albert Gallotta and Capt. Richard Gallotta; her children, Nancy Bennett, Robin Massimi, Valerie Joy Massimi and Michael Massimi; and her grandchildren, Rianna, Malcolm, Rachael, Brett, Jackson, Chandler and Magnolia.

Algiers Historical Society January meeting

Algiers Historical Society will hold its first meeting of 2014 on Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to noon in the first floor meeting room of the Algiers Regional Library, 3014 Holiday Drive, Algiers.

A presentation on the "Slaves of the Company of the Indies" by Erin Greenwald will be this month’s topic. Greenwald is historian and curator at the Historic New Orleans Collection. The presentation is taken from her latest book, "A Company Man: The Remarkable French Atlantic Voyage of a Clerk for the Company of the Indies – a memoir by Marc-Antoine Caillot," edited by Greenwald.

Free coffee and snacks provided by Jill Marshall of the Tout de Suite Coffee Shop. For more information contact Kevin Herridge, AHS President at 504.368.9123 or visit www.algiershistoricalsociety.org.

Our Lady of Holy Cross College

Spring registration and orientation for new and re-admitted students will be held Jan. 14 in the Basil Moreau Center at 4123 Woodland Drive. Registration for undergraduates is 3 to 7 p.m. and graduate students is at 4 p.m.

OLHCC classes begin Jan. 21. Students who have not registered or those who want schedule changes can register online through Jan. 15.

For more information, visit www.olhcc.edu or call 504.394.7744 or 1.800.259.7744.